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Mercedes disappears from Australia's V8 Supercars series

Mercedes-Benz is killing it in Formula One and putting up a solid fight in DTM, but it won't be represented any longer in Australia's V8 Supercars series. The announcement doesn't come from the manufacturer but rather from Erebus Motorsports. Not to be confused with Cerberus (the investment firm to which Mercedes-Benz sold Chrysler), Erebus is the team that adapted the E63 AMG for and fielded it in the Australian touring car series. But now the team is switching to Holdens for the forthcoming season.

Erebus ported over to V8 Supercars in 2013 after fielding a pair of Mercedes SLS AMGs in the Australian GT Championship, and brought Mercedes along with it. In three years on the grid so far, Erebus and Mercedes have won only two races: one in 2014 and another in 2015, leaving them in eleventh place in the teams' championship in 2013 and 2015, and seventh in 2014.

The switch will make Erebus one of seven to run the Holden VF Commodore in this year's championship, making it not only the most successful car in the history of the series, but far and away the most popular car on the grid for 2016. In fact, of 24 entries registered for this season, a narrow majority of 13 will be driving Holdens – the rest of the field composed on Ford Falcons, Nissan Altimas, and Volvo S60s. Erebus' defection leaves no one at present to run the Mercedes metal, which effectively means that it will disappear from the series.

Given Holden's successful racing heritage and its on-going commitment to Supercars, Erebus has decided to form a new relationship with the iconic Australian marque to spearhead its 2016 campaign.

Holden is Australian motorsport's most successful manufacturer with a record 30 Bathurst 1000 triumphs, 496 championship race wins and 19 Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercars Championships.

Commodore is the most winning nameplate with 446 championship race victories while VF Commodore, introduced in 2013, has recorded 74 wins and already sits second on V8 Supercars' all-time most winning models list.

Erebus Motorsport owner, Betty Klimenko is confident the change will enable the team to challenge for wins and podiums on a more regular basis.

"Holden has proved its competitiveness in the sport again and again," Klimenko said.

"Erebus has experienced success, but with the switch to Holden combined with our experienced team personnel in Barry Ryan and Campbell Little, and David Reynolds behind the wheel, we have every chance to win more often."

Driving the #9 Penrite Racing Erebus Motorsport VF Commodore, Reynolds is looking forward to getting back into a Holden.

"I made my V8 Supercars debut in a Commodore, but since I last raced a Holden the series moved into the Car Of The Future era," Reynolds said.

"Since then, the VF Commodore has proven to be the car of choice and I see the change to Holden as a positive for Erebus Motorsport.

"I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a Commodore and together with Erebus growing a strong relationship with Holden."